Latest update from the Yahoo group:

"I've now heard the material that will make up the new record as, I'm
guessing, have one or two friends of the band also on this list. They
gave us early versions to help w/ sequencing. A listening party of
the mastered record was held on Valentine's day -- though I was
seeing Arcade Fire at Judson Church.

The music is great, perhaps a bit more of a mellow vibe than
Alligator overall -- perhaps somewhere between the Cherry Tree mellow/
beautiful sound and the Alligator more up-beat/rocking sound. Most
notable about the record is that it has the best arrangements they've
done, by far, and there's some unexpected & wonderful new elements
that you haven't heard before. Think trumpets, and other brass
instruments; increased use of female backing vocals; excellent piano
bits by Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman & sideman to David Byrne, Bebel
Gilberto, Laurie Anderson, The Frames, Yoko Ono); and possible even
some playing by band friend, Sufjan Stevens.

Thematically it intertwines songs about love, songs about war, and
songs about office life. Or, more correctly, songs that are about all
three topics at the same time."

from:
http://allthewine.2.forumer.com/index.php?showtopic=3

thanks zeb. i check out their yahoo group thing every so often and will have to do more often now

that sounds fucking fantastic... thanks for posting that

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/n ... g_With_Box
Exclusive: The National Enter the Ring With Boxer

After thirteen months of writing at their homes in Brooklyn, the National have announced the title and release date of their follow-up to 2005's Alligator.

The album's title is Boxer, and Beggars Banquet will release it on May 22.

Peter Katis (Interpol, Spoon) aided the NYC-via-Cincinnati quintet in Boxer's production and mixing, and Fred Kevorkian (Ryan Adams, Regina Spektor, Willie Nelson) handled the mastering.

The National will announce a full tour of the U.S. and European festivals shortly, but in the meantime, they have scheduled three dates in Europe and four at New York City's Bowery Ballroom in May.

Tracklist:

01 Fake Empire
02 Mistaken for Strangers
03 Brainy
04 Squalor Victoria
05 Green Gloves
06 Slow Show
07 Apartment Story
08 Start a War
09 Guest Room
10 Racing Like a Pro
11 Ada
12 Gospel

Dates:

05-22 London, England - Astoria
05-23 Paris, France - La Maroquinerie
05-25 Berlin, Germany - Magnet
05-28 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *
05-29 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom #
05-30 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom ^
05-31 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom $

* with the Broken West
# with Doveman
^ with My Brightest Diamond
$ with Elysian Fields
Link-arrowVideo: The National: Abel [from the Alligator LP]
Posted by Dave Maher in exclusive, album, tour on Mon: 02-26-07: 04:00 PM CST | Permalink

Cool news. I heard of The National before, but I didn't check them out until a month or so ago when I found out Bruce Springsteen is a fan. He's got good taste.

Thanks for the update, TC.

They should play Springfield, MO.

I'm excited to hear this one.

I'm really digging that cover!

Yea, me too.

im thining about coming out to NY to see one of their 4 shows in late May

I just got tickets to the first two Bowery Ballroom shows.

when're these?

May 28 - May 31
http://www.americanmary.com/shows/

yea im gonna pass on the NY dates they just announced these dates today
The National Announce North American Tour

The National have announced the dates of their summer North American tour, which follows a brief European trek and four shows at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City in May.

The tour is in support of the band's forthcoming album Boxer, which comes out May 22 on Beggars. The newly announced dates run until June 30, and the band plans to be on the road for most of this year.

Dates:

05-22 London, England - Astoria
05-23 Paris, France - La Maroquinerie
05-25 Berlin, Germany - Magnet
05-28 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *
05-29 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom #
05-30 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom ^
05-31 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom $
06-02 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's
06-04 Montreal, Quebec - Cabaret
06-05 Toronto, Ontario - Opera House
06-06 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
06-07 Chicago, IL - Metro
06-08 Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar
06-09 Madison, WI - TBA
06-11 St. Louis, MO - Duck Room
06-12 Louisville, KY - Headliners Music Hall
06-13 Atlanta, GA - The Earl
06-14 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo Music Festival
06-15 Cincinnati, OH - 20th Century Theater
06-16 Columbus, OH - The Basement
06-18 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
06-19 Pittsburgh, PA - Rex Theater
06-20 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
06-21 Boston, MA - Middle East Downstairs
06-25 San Diego, CA - Casbah
06-26 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theater
06-27 San Francisco, CA - Bimbo's 365 Club
06-28 Portland, OR - Berbati's Pan
06-29 Vancouver, British Columbia - Richard's on Richards
06-30 Seattle, WA - Neumos

I wonder if all these bands just don't know that my state exists.